U.S. patent application number 12/568898 was filed with the patent office on 2011-03-31 for firewall port selection using atsc tuner signals.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sony Corporation. Invention is credited to Nikolaos GEORGIS, Paul Jin HWANG, Djung NGUYEN.
Application Number | 20110075047 12/568898 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43779969 |
Filed Date | 2011-03-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110075047 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GEORGIS; Nikolaos ; et
al. |
March 31, 2011 |
FIREWALL PORT SELECTION USING ATSC TUNER SIGNALS
Abstract
Firewall ports are opened automatically and randomly by using
signals received from a digital TV device such as an Advanced
Television Systems Committee (ATSC) broadcast source.
Inventors: |
GEORGIS; Nikolaos; (San
Diego, CA) ; HWANG; Paul Jin; (Burbank, CA) ;
NGUYEN; Djung; (San Diego, CA) |
Assignee: |
Sony Corporation
Sony Electronics Inc.
|
Family ID: |
43779969 |
Appl. No.: |
12/568898 |
Filed: |
September 29, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
348/731 ;
348/E5.097; 725/87; 726/11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 63/029 20130101;
H04N 21/426 20130101; H04N 21/6112 20130101; H04L 63/02 20130101;
H04N 21/6332 20130101; H04N 5/50 20130101; H04L 12/2832 20130101;
H04N 5/4401 20130101; H04N 21/4788 20130101; H04N 21/6547 20130101;
H04N 21/47202 20130101; H04L 12/283 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/731 ; 725/87;
726/11; 348/E05.097 |
International
Class: |
H04N 5/50 20060101
H04N005/50; H04N 7/173 20060101 H04N007/173; G06F 17/00 20060101
G06F017/00 |
Claims
1. TV comprising: TV tuner; processor communicating with the TV
tuner; display presenting signals from the TV tuner under control
of the processor; at least one firewall through which information
is exchanged between the TV and a computing component external to
the TV, the firewall characterized by at least first and second
ports each having an open configuration to permit communication
through the port between the processor and the computing component
and a closed configuration to prevent communication through the
port between the processor and the computing component; wherein the
processor, responsive to port commands received from the TV tuner,
selectively establishes the configuration of both the ports.
2. The TV of claim 1, wherein the TV tuner is an Advanced
Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuner.
3. The TV of claim 2, wherein the TV tuner receives the port
commands from an ATSC broadcast tower.
4. The TV of claim 1, wherein a first port command received by the
TV tuner and provided to the processor causes the processor to
cause the first port to assume the open configuration and the
second port to assume the closed configuration.
5. The TV of claim 4, wherein a second port command received by the
TV tuner and provided to the processor causes the processor to
cause the first port to assume the open configuration and the
second port to assume the open configuration.
6. The TV of claim 4, wherein a second port command received by the
TV tuner and provided to the processor causes the processor to
cause the first port to assume the closed configuration and the
second port to assume the open configuration.
7. The TV of claim 6, wherein a third port command received by the
TV tuner and provided to the processor causes the processor to
cause both ports to assume the closed configuration.
8. The TV of claim 1, wherein the port commands are received in
response to a request from the TV for a network service.
9. The TV of claim 8, wherein the network service is selected from
the group including voice over Internet (VOIP), peer to peer
computer file sharing, and video on demand (VOD).
10. A method comprising: receiving port configuration commands at a
digital TV tuner from a source of commands external to a network
having a firewall communicatively behind which the TV is disposed;
and responsive to the port configuration commands, configuring
plural ports of the firewall.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the TV tuner is an Advanced
Television Systems Committee (ATSC) TV.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the TV tuner receives the port
configuration commands from an ATSC broadcast tower.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein a first port configuration
command received by the TV tuner causes a first port to assume an
open configuration and a second port to assume the closed
configuration.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein a second port configuration
command received by the TV tuner causes the first port to assume
the closed configuration and the second port to assume the open
configuration.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein a third port configuration
command received by the TV tuner causes both ports to assume the
closed configuration.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the port configuration commands
are generated in response to a request from the TV tuner for a
network service.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the network service is selected
from the group including voice over Internet (VOIP), peer to peer
computer file sharing, and video on demand (VOD).
18. Apparatus comprising: at least one protected computer component
behind a firewall having plural ports; and at least one processor
establishing open and closed configurations of the ports responsive
to port commands received from outside the firewall.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the protected computer
component is a digital TV and the port commands are received from a
digital TV signal transmission component.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the port commands are
generated in response to a request from the TV for a network
service.
Description
I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Present principles are directed to opening computer firewall
ports automatically and randomly by using signals received from a
digital TV.
II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A firewall blocks unauthorized access to a computer network
or system while permitting authorized communications to devices
outside the network it protects. A firewall may be implemented in
software, hardware, or both, and it manages communication between
the network it protects and other computers based on desired rules
and other criteria.
[0003] As understood herein, certain firewall ports should be
manually opened for some applications to be able to work properly.
Examples are voice-over-Internet (VoIP) applications, peer-to-peer
file transfers, and video on demand. As also understood herein,
there is a security compromise at a system level once ports are
open because this exposes the system to attacks. Consequently,
current solutions seek to open as few ports as possible to minimize
the risks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Mobile and fixed networked devices that are equipped with an
ATSC tuner enjoy increased system security and maximal application
performance by receiving information about firewall port opening
over the air from an ATSC broadcast tower without requiring a TV
user to manually open any firewall ports. Recognizing that, in the
case of ATSC tuner-equipped devices, firewall ports do not have to
be statically to be open for long periods of time, encrypted
information is broadcast over the air that instructs specific
devices of which ports need to open and when. Thus, TVs monitor the
broadcast signals and implement port control automatically as
commanded by the ATSC broadcast tower to ensure maximal performance
of applications.
[0005] Accordingly, a TV includes a TV tuner, a processor
communicating with the TV tuner, and a display presenting signals
from the TV tuner under control of the processor. A firewall is
provided through which information is exchanged between the TV and
a computing component external to the TV. The firewall is
characterized by at least first and second ports each having an
open configuration to permit communication through the port between
the processor and the computing component and a closed
configuration to prevent communication through the port between the
processor and the computing component. As intended in embodiments
below, the processor, responsive to port commands received from the
TV tuner, selectively establishes the configuration of both the
ports.
[0006] The TV tuner may be an Advanced Television Systems Committee
(ATSC) tuner that can receive the port commands from an ATSC
broadcast tower. As an example, a first port command received by
the TV tuner and provided to the processor may cause the processor
to cause the first port to assume the open configuration and the
second port to assume the closed configuration. A second port
command received by the TV tuner can cause the processor to cause
the first port to assume the open configuration and the second port
to assume the open configuration, while yet another port command
received by the TV tuner can cause the processor to cause both
ports to assume the closed configuration.
[0007] In some implementations the port commands are received in
response to a request from the TV for a network service. The
network service may be, e.g., voice over Internet (VOIP), peer to
peer computer file sharing, and video on demand (VOD).
[0008] In another aspect, a method includes receiving port
configuration commands at a digital TV tuner from a source of
commands external to a network having a firewall communicatively
behind which the TV is disposed. The method also includes,
responsive to the port configuration commands, configuring plural
ports of the firewall.
[0009] In another aspect, an apparatus includes a protected
computer component behind a firewall having plural ports, and a
processor establishing open and closed configurations of the ports
responsive to port commands received from outside the firewall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing an example
connection between a TV and a network harboring video databases and
other systems, and
[0011] FIG. 2 is a flow chart demonstrating the sequence of events
occurring in order to establish specific firewall port
configurations.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] FIG. 1 presents a block diagram of an example networked TV
10 containing a TV display 12 held in a bezel casing 14. The TV 10
also comes equipped with a/some speaker(s) 16 and a microphone 18.
A microprocessor 20, a storage medium 22, and a TV tuner 24 are
commonly integrated into a given TV 12 and have the capacity for
processing electrical signals, storing media files, and receiving
information and network service downloads through a broadcast tower
26, respectively. The tower 26 may broadcast digital TV signals
such as Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) signals.
[0013] The processor 20 communicates instructions to the tuner 24,
for example an ATSC tuner, which then signals to the display 12 to
display images.
[0014] The ATSC tower 26 may be connected to a group of network
services 28, including voice over Internet (VOIP) 30, video on
demand (VOD) 32, and peer to peer computer file sharing 34. A
network service can be selected via input through a remote control
36 wirelessly communicating with a signal receiver 38.
[0015] The TV 10 also comes equipped with a network interface 40
whose function is integrated along with a network firewall 42 to
protect against unwanted outside sources hacking into the TV 10 and
its components. A first port 44 and a second port 46 act as
channels through which information received external computing
components travels. Any such TV 10 may come outfitted with multiple
firewall ports, not necessarily being limited to two ports.
Regardless of quantity, all ports have an open configuration
permitting communication between the processor 20 and external
computing component as well as a closed configuration that prevents
communication.
[0016] The TV tuner 24 receives port commands from an ATSC tower 26
and sends them to the processor 20 whose function is to selectively
establish the configuration of all ports. Due to the selective
nature of port configuration, the first port 44 may be open and the
second port 46 may be closed and vice versa. As alternative port
configurations, all ports may be closed or all ports may be open.
The port commands are received in response to a request from the TV
10 for a network service, e.g., VOD 32 inputted by the user via
remote control 36.
[0017] Moving in reference to FIG. 2, the sequence of events
occurring in order to establish specific firewall port
configurations is displayed. At block 48, the user establishes a
desired network service request by means of pressing buttons on a
remote control 36. That request is exported through the firewall to
the ATSC tower 26 at block 50. The ATSC tower 26 responds by
sending a port configuration command, as in block 52, back to the
TV, which then establishes the configuration of all ports in block
54.
[0018] For purposes of the invention, the processor does not have
to be a TV processor 20, but may be a generic personal computer
with an ATSC tuner 24. The firewall can be implemented in a
software as well as hardware and would be between a home computer
cable router and a personal computer. Alternatively, the router may
be embedded into the personal computer.
[0019] While the particular FIREWALL PORT SELECTION USING ATSC
TUNER SIGNALS is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be
understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the
present invention is limited only by the claims.
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